1 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight. Welcome to 2 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: the Erin Mullins Show. Great to have your company. Thank 3 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: you so much for tuning in. My special guest today, 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: Secretary Robert Wilkie was under the Trump administration Department of 5 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: Veteran Affairs, very experienced when it comes to national security, 6 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: defense and the goings on around the world. Something we 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: are very focused on on this show the massive military 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: built up in the Middle East. He says, there is 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: no point having it there unless you are willing to 10 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: and I quote pull the trigger. China, Jijingping. He's getting 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: rid of all his military top brass. What does that mean? 12 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: Should we be even more terrified about what might happen next, 13 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: not just with Taiwan but the West and a broader war. 14 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: That's all coming up. A first a word from our sponsors. Now, 15 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: New Year's resolutions sound good rate on January first, but 16 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: by January tenth, well, not so much this year. There's 17 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: one resolution though, that's actually worth keeping. Getting your finances 18 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: in order. You need to do it now. 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That's 34 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: Noble Goold Investments dot com forward slash Erin Secretary Robert 35 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: Wilkie very experienced, looked after personnel and readiness. 36 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 2: So that's a huge part of where we're at the moment. 37 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: Via the Trump administration's Peace through Strength knows back to 38 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: front the way that China operates in Jijingping. 39 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: Who exactly is he getting rid of and why. 40 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: Is it erratic because it looks that way from the surface, 41 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: or is there something more sinister going on? 42 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 2: And believe you me. Both can be sinister, erratic and 43 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: non erratic. 44 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: But is there a method to the madness here? And 45 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: should that make us more worried? More worried about when 46 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: China will attempt to take back Taiwan and what that means? 47 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: More broadly, war in the Middle East? 48 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: Is the US softening its language around a potential military 49 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: strike and leaning more towards a deal. This guy has 50 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: experience in all of this. He's seen at firsthand. He's 51 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: been in rooms where these decisions are made. His take 52 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: is invaluable. Please enjoy this conversation with Secretary Robert Wilke. 53 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: Secretary Robert Wilkie, thank you so so much for joining 54 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: us here on the Aaron Mullenchow. 55 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: It's a real honor to have your company. 56 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 3: Well, thank you. And it's always an honor for me 57 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 3: to be involved with anything in Australia because my father's 58 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 3: first assignment in Vietnam was with the first Australian Task Force. 59 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 3: Oh bless I learned at a very young age the 60 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 3: glorious of the Victorian Football League, which is what it 61 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 3: was called when I was a little boy, and the 62 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 3: Geelong Cats, and my association with Australian soldiers goes back 63 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 3: to my childhood. The finest, as my father would always say, 64 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 3: the finest infantry on the infantry on the planet, and 65 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 3: a battle record second to none. 66 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 2: That's really beautifully put. 67 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: Half the country will already hate you, though, because there's 68 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: a big rivalry between the football played in Victoria and 69 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: the football that's played in New South Wales and Queensland. 70 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 3: The fact that an American can talk about that degree 71 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 3: of knowledge, yeah, I. 72 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: Think that will pull you back out just only just 73 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: your comments on the infantrymen and women in Australia is 74 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 1: spot on. They are superb and I thank your father 75 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: and you for your service as well. And I think 76 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: we're the only country that has fought alongside you in 77 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: every more over the many years. 78 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's incredible, Secretary. 79 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: I want to talk about potentially the prospect of that 80 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: having to happen again, and we hope that's not the case. 81 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: And we know that the administration in your country is 82 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: is big on peace through strength. I was reading an 83 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: article this morning about Jijingping's purge of a lot of 84 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: senior military leaders. It strikes me as almost erratic, which 85 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: which then makes me a little more worried about what 86 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 1: he may do next given his state of mind, What 87 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: are you reading into this, and including childhood friends that 88 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: he's had alongside him and have been loyal for many 89 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: That's exactly. 90 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 3: Right, which means it's not erratic. What he has done 91 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 3: is he is Look, the military experience of ninety nine 92 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 3: percent of the Chinese military has been gained by killing 93 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 3: their own people. The chief of the army who was dismissed, 94 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 3: as you mentioned, a lifelong friend, childhood friend of Ji. 95 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 3: His father and Ji's father were comrades in the Chinese government, 96 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 3: but he was one of the few who actually had 97 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 3: combat experience, and it wasn't very pleasant combat experience because 98 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 3: when they invaded Vietnam they had their heads added to 99 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 3: them by a very battle hardened army. So he was 100 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 3: very cautious about a drive to take Taiwan. He knew 101 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 3: what the cost of war was is. He also knows 102 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 3: that the most difficult military operation is amphibious. There are 103 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 3: only two nations on the planet who have conducted large 104 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 3: scale amphibious operations successfully. China is not one, and particularly 105 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 3: coming across well over one hundred miles of open ocean 106 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 3: is a daunting task. But what g has done is 107 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:31,679 Speaker 3: he's replaced the professionals with politicals. And it's interesting because 108 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 3: all he has to do is look and see what's 109 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 3: happened to Vladimir Putin with his political generals and the 110 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 3: disaster that has occurred on the Ukrainian front. I mean, 111 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 3: it's funny you look at his former defense minister Shoigu, 112 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 3: who has so many medals on his chest, yet he 113 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 3: never served one day in the armed forces. He's a 114 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 3: political stooge. And I think what you pointed out is 115 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 3: the danger that now Ji is unfettered, that he doesn't 116 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 3: have any opposition within the militarian. That's what we need 117 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 3: to watch for. 118 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: It's such a great point when you look at Russia 119 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: and Ukraine, the other element of that, and you mentioned 120 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: coming up against an army that was not battle hardened. 121 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 2: It's a huge part of it, isn't it. 122 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: And you cannot emulate the conditions of real war in 123 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: any kind of practice, no matter how hard you try. 124 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: And in that same article I was reading this morning, 125 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: the point was made that they say China now has 126 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: the world's biggest navy. I know that that's a point 127 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: of conjecture, and Trump might disagree. 128 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 2: There but it hasn't. 129 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: Had experience in war that their military is completely untested, 130 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: their equipment is untested. What kind of a how much 131 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: would that be playing on Jijinping's mind? 132 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 3: Well, it has to. And look, he's watched American operations, 133 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 3: the operations of our friends. The Israelis destroy Chinese and 134 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 3: Russian based systems at the drop of a hat, also 135 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 3: engage in expeditionary operations the lives of which the Chinese 136 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 3: cannot perform. Trump has shown the world that the Chinese 137 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 3: and the Russians, as much as they talk, could do 138 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 3: nothing to help their Iranian friends. They could do nothing 139 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 3: to help their friends in Venezuela. They're not going to 140 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 3: be anything be able to do anything to help the 141 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 3: castro's prison island prison in Cuba. So it has to 142 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 3: be playing on his mind that his munitions and his 143 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 3: systems haven't worked very well either in Ukraine or certainly 144 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 3: in Iran. 145 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: When you look at the Middle East at the moment, 146 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: and we know how connected, particularly the countries who wish 147 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: us harm are, and you look at what I see 148 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: as a softening of language around potential military strikes. Even 149 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:12,079 Speaker 1: Senator Lindsay Graham yesterday floated the idea of some kind 150 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: of deal and how it would have to look, whereas 151 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: prior to that. 152 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 2: He was no compromise, no deal. 153 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: Are you worried that something might be a play here 154 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: that is going to be very bad, not just for 155 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: the Iranian people, but for the rest of the world 156 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,839 Speaker 1: who prioritizes peace and doesn't want a terrorist regime in power. 157 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 3: I'm hoping that this is what they call in the 158 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 3: military manuals or ruse de guare just a cover for 159 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 3: what is coming. If the president does not pull the trick, 160 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 3: then cascading events occur. First of all, we start making 161 00:09:54,400 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 3: comparisons to Barack Obama's red lines that were crossed right 162 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 3: after another, and America was at that time shown to 163 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 3: be a paper tiger. The second thing is the word 164 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 3: of the President of the United States in encouraging the 165 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 3: people of Iran to take to the streets to remove 166 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 3: that government, a government that we have been at war 167 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 3: with since nineteen seventy nine. They have killed thousands of 168 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 3: American soldiers. They have threatened the lives of three United 169 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 3: States presidents. They have spread their terror throughout the world. 170 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 3: Their acolytes have slaughtered Jews across the globe. I told 171 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 3: the brags that Israel is a one bomb solution, and 172 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 3: they haven't backed away from any of that. You cannot 173 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 3: put that much firepower in a region in this manner 174 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 3: and not pull the trigger. And that's the message that 175 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 3: the message that would be sent to the biggest malefact, 176 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 3: and that's Beijing, would be earth shaking. Now the corollary 177 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 3: is it would be earth shaking seismic if we were 178 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 3: able to dispose of this terrorist outpost of the Beijing 179 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 3: Moscow Tehran axis and really change the shape of the 180 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 3: Middle East that has been the you know, the crucible 181 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 3: for so many crises in the post World War two era. 182 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: I know President Trump can be a forgiving man, and 183 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: we've seen him forgive people's words. 184 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 2: And actions, et cetera, et cetera. 185 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: But when I look at an assistant Speaker of the 186 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 1: House in Tehran who is saying we will celebrate Trump's 187 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: funeral and to cheeres from other members of parliament, surely 188 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: he's looking at that and saying, this is not a 189 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: group of blokes that we can do a fair. 190 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:56,719 Speaker 3: Deal with, I would think. So it's also laughable. If 191 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 3: you remember bag Dad Bob during the first weeks of 192 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 3: the Iraq War, saying that San Mussein's forces had destroyed 193 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 3: American and Allied soldiers and behind him was parked an 194 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 3: American Abrams tank while he was talking, Look, these people 195 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 3: are dead enders. I can say that the Russian banks 196 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 3: have been filled in the last week with billions of 197 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 3: dollars that the Iyatolas have stolen, that they're trying to 198 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 3: get out of the country as rapidly as they can. 199 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 3: We know that the Ayatola has a nice warm apartment 200 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 3: on the Moscow River waiting for him. When he can, 201 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 3: he can move right in next to Bashar Assad another 202 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 3: another one that Russia promised to help and is now 203 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 3: back in Russia. So those are the things that are happening. 204 00:12:53,960 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 3: And you know, if if there is a campaign, it 205 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 3: can't be a one off. It has to be sustained 206 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 3: over days, probably several weeks. The US Navy cannot do 207 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 3: it alone. It has to be the United States Air 208 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 3: Force doing the bulk of the mission, collapsing bunkers and 209 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 3: commanding control centers, things like that, and also going at 210 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 3: the instruments of terror of the regime. The things that 211 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 3: we can do to give the people hope that they 212 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 3: can take to the streets and remove what's left of 213 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 3: this regime. 214 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: That's a key part of it, isn't It is that 215 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: these people, unarmed, cannot do this on their own. They've 216 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: given it one hell of a crack. But the US 217 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: also wants them to be the hand that essentially does that. 218 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: You know, the bulk of the work in that America 219 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: is gunshy when it comes to regime change and that 220 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: kind of thing. So if they take out specific places 221 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: that will then enable people to uprise on their own, 222 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: is that do you think that? 223 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 3: Basically, Look, we don't have a very good track wreck. 224 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 3: When Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Operation took place and the State 225 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 3: Department took over, they tried to turn a ninth century 226 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 3: country into nineteenth century Paris. Doesn't work. The same problems 227 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 3: occurred in Iraq, And in terms of legitimacy, you don't 228 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 3: want to be in the position of going to the 229 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 3: Iranian people and having what's left of the opposition of 230 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 3: the Mullah's world say that this is a regime that 231 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 3: was imposed by the Infidel the United States. But we 232 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 3: can set the conditions. And I would also note that 233 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 3: several vessels of the Royal Navy have now transited the 234 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 3: Suez Canal are headed to the region, so that's important 235 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 3: to well. 236 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: Secretary, you mentioned Afghanistan, and I think you know. I'm 237 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: twenty years in this job, albeit sport for a large 238 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: majority of it. But the point I'm making is I've 239 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: seen a fair bit of horror in this world. No 240 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: doubt you've been exposed to much more than I have. 241 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: In firsthand the images of the US withdrawal out of 242 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: Afghanistan and people desperately clinging onto Have you ever seen 243 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: anything as haunting? How does even when you mentioned Afghanistan, 244 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: it's the first thing that comes to mind. And I 245 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: often wonder about men in your position and women who 246 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: have served and seen things. 247 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 2: What does that do to you? Those kind of images. 248 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 3: I have to go back to childhood, and it's an 249 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 3: experience that many Australians shared with people like my father. 250 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 3: Nineteen seventy five in May, when the North Vietnamese broke 251 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 3: through the gates of Saigan. We had been out United 252 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 3: States and Australia had been out of ground combat ANOM 253 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: for almost three years prior to that. But the site 254 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 3: of Americans, America's friends trying to get to the roof 255 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 3: of the US embassy to get on the last two 256 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 3: or three helicopters, and then once the helicopters made it 257 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 3: out to the Navy, you're having to throw the helicopters 258 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 3: over its side because they were too heavy, too bulky 259 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 3: for the vessel to maneuver. That was about the low point. 260 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 3: We were in a terrible place in this country at 261 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 3: that time. Other things were happening that were equally bad, 262 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 3: but Afghanistan was unnecessary. It was horrific. But it also 263 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 3: showed that the United States government was panicked. It was 264 00:16:54,840 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 3: led by pseudo academics and not professionals. And I can 265 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:07,919 Speaker 3: make the argument that Joe Biden's presidency ended at the 266 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 3: at the airport in Cobble, But it was as low 267 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 3: a point as the Vietnam conflict because we had been 268 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 3: out of Vietnam except for you know, our our State 269 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 3: Department people and our our our AID people. We had 270 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 3: no sizeable truth contingent there anymore, didn't even have the 271 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 3: Air Force. But Afghanistan was different, and particularly with China 272 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 3: and as volatile as the world is, we can't afford 273 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 3: anything like that. And I'm not gonna We're not going 274 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 3: to see that, but it was a terrible, terrible time. 275 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: One of your previous roles was in relation to ensuring 276 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: you know, the readiness of personnelity in the military. And 277 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: i'd love to ask your take under this Trump two 278 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: point zero with Pete except very young was a combat 279 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: soldier himself. Individually, troops in the US Army, have you 280 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: seen it a toughening of them over the last year 281 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 1: or so? They are they battle ready? Would this group 282 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:17,880 Speaker 1: of people win a war today? 283 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 2: If one well we were doing. 284 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 3: The soldiers have never failed us. We were doing pretty well. 285 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 3: Soldiers were doing very well in their missions, regardless of 286 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:35,120 Speaker 3: who the political people were. It's the political people who 287 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 3: created the conditions that put them in danger or caused 288 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:47,360 Speaker 3: a failure of policy. So, and I've written about the 289 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 3: need to go back to the basics, So I think 290 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 3: that's very important. But I think what we need to do, though, 291 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 3: is to recognize that there's so much more that needs 292 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 3: to be done. Only four percent of the force actually 293 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 3: engages in ground combat. That doesn't mean we should not 294 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 3: have the highest physical standards. The way the military works here. 295 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 3: We did a study back in the nineties for the 296 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 3: Army the troops requiring the most physical strength, the ability 297 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,959 Speaker 3: to move weight, where the field artilleryman my father's branch, 298 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 3: because they're carrying around two hund two hundred pound rounds. 299 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 3: The guys who needed the most physical stamina were the 300 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 3: paratroopers because they carry everything that they need to fight 301 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 3: on their backs as they jump out of an aircraft. 302 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 3: Did you no, no, no, I'm just an air Force 303 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 3: intelligence officer. My father, my father was a legend in 304 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 3: the eighty second Airborne Division, really an incredibly decorated combat officer, 305 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:05,120 Speaker 3: physically powerful. But back to an earlier question that you raised, 306 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 3: there's somebody you're talking about seeing the costs of war. 307 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 3: He was a big man for his day. He's six 308 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,239 Speaker 3: to two hundred and forty pounds. I don't know what 309 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 3: that is in stones. And when he was wounded in 310 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 3: the invasion of Cambodia. We didn't see him for a 311 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 3: year after he was wounded, and when he came back 312 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 3: he weighed about one hundred and twenty five pounds. 313 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 1: Wo. 314 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 3: I mean, his uniform was a drape. And you know 315 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 3: that to to see the cost of combat at home 316 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 3: means that we have to do everything to prepare our soldiers. 317 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 3: But the other things are we have the smallest navy 318 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 3: since nineteen thirty eight. We have the oldest air force 319 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 3: since Harry Truman created the service in nineteen forty seven. 320 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 3: We need, as the President has stated, we need to 321 00:20:54,480 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 3: retool our nuclear deterrent, and we need Ukraine has reminded 322 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 3: us two things. One that the peer ond peer lessons 323 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 3: of the twentieth century are still with us. You need 324 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 3: artillery tubes, you need shells, you need precision guide a munitions, 325 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 3: you need mechanized forces. But a small country like Ukraine, 326 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 3: for instance, a country without a navy can sink a 327 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 3: surface navy with ingenuity with drones with undersea weapons. A 328 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 3: country without a strategic air force can destroy one third 329 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 3: of the strategic air force of the Russian Federation without 330 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 3: having any bombers. So those are the kinds of things 331 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 3: that will shape the battle space of the future, a 332 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:51,199 Speaker 3: combination of the traditional with the twenty first century. So 333 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 3: we have to prepare for both. 334 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 1: My dad, also a veteran, was a major general in 335 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,679 Speaker 1: the Australian Army. And if I saw another piece of 336 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: paper in his office and I think, you know, I 337 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: don't think Mum's completely cleared it out, yet it's still there. 338 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 2: It's lessons learned. 339 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: And what you're just referencing is exactly that it's such 340 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: a military it's such an obvious thing that we all 341 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: should be doing whatever field we're in, but most people don't. 342 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 1: But for the military, lessons learned is key. Two points 343 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 1: off the back of what you just said, the four percent, 344 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: where you say about that kind of on ground combat, 345 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: how has that changed? I'm fascinated by was it maybe 346 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: twenty years ago fifty percent or do you have any 347 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 1: idea of how that's evolved. And the second part of it, 348 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: people like me who will never go to war and fight, 349 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 1: who sit here and say, my heart breaks for the 350 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 1: Iranian people's strike, strike, strike. The story just told about 351 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: your dad is such an important reminder that it's easy 352 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: for us to sit here and call for troops, for 353 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: men and women to go into battle on our behalf 354 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: without actually thinking what that means for them and their 355 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: families and their lives. 356 00:22:57,480 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 2: So if you could expand on that a little bit, 357 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 2: those two points, and I'm. 358 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 3: Going to go back to my critique of the Biden withdrawal. 359 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 3: The military did not plan that they were told what 360 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 3: to do by a group of people whose only military 361 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 3: experience was terrorizing seventeen year old kids in the halls 362 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 3: of Princeton University, where they look at people like my 363 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 3: father and your father is just pins on a map 364 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 3: to be played with because our parents weren't Our fathers 365 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 3: weren't smart enough to avoid the military, couldn't be professors 366 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 3: and dons. 367 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: And we'll get into all of that, but first, he's 368 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: a word from our partner. Now, if you were like 369 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: me and you're tired of random stuff getting front into 370 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: your supplements, like artificial colors and sugars, you probably would 371 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: like to. 372 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 2: Know more about phyto nutrition. Yes, I had to google too. 373 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,959 Speaker 1: Let me save you by telling you phyightone nutrients are 374 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 1: the naturally occurring plant nutrients found in whole foods that 375 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: give them their color, their taste, and their smell. And 376 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: the presence of these three things is a shorphy sign. 377 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: You're getting real phytoonutrients. 378 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 3: Now. 379 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: Balance of Nature's Whole Health Systems supplements are a value 380 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: bundle that includes their fruits and veggies, fiber and spice supplements, 381 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 1: which gives you forty seven ingredients of fruits, vegetables, spices, 382 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,199 Speaker 1: and fibers and all of the naturally occurring phytonutrients that 383 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: come with them. 384 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 2: Every single day. 385 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 1: Dick Balance of Nature takes produce through a specialized vacuum 386 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: cold process and it stabilizes the ingredients. Now they're then 387 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 1: powdered and packaged with no binders, fillers or flow agents. 388 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 1: So whether you've been on the fence for a long 389 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 1: time or it's the first time you're hearing about them, 390 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: I recommend that you go to Balance of Nature dot 391 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: com and order the whole health system supplements. As a 392 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: preferred customer today, go to Balance of Nature dot com. 393 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 3: Bismarck had a great saying that it's directly in line 394 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 3: with what you were with what you were talking about. 395 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 3: He said, well beyond to the statesman whose reasons for 396 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 3: entering war are not as clear at the end as 397 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 3: they were at the beginning, and we tend to lose 398 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 3: sight of those things. Why are we here, what do 399 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 3: we need to do? And how do we end this? 400 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 3: You know, the great George Marshall, who was an incredible 401 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 3: supporter of Australia's troops, thought they were the most magnificent 402 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:25,880 Speaker 3: soldiers on the planet along with the Canadian but he 403 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 3: said that democracies cannot fight long. We also said democracies 404 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 3: can't fight without an allied coalition, and it's because it's 405 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 3: very hard to sustain a fight with the pressures that 406 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 3: come with a robust republic. So you have to be clear, 407 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 3: but you have to have your people people prepared. And 408 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 3: the last thing I'll say from George Marshall, no matter 409 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 3: how prepared you are, and your father probably knew that 410 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 3: better than anyone, and my suppondent, there are two rules 411 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 3: in warfare. One as young people die, and the second 412 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 3: rule is you can't you can't stop rule you can't 413 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:18,199 Speaker 3: prevent rule number one. And you have to do everything 414 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 3: you can to get in get out. And the only 415 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 3: way that happens is if you are prepared logistically, physically, mentally. 416 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 3: And that's why you see what the incredible success that 417 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 3: the Ukrainians have had, even though sometimes it doesn't look 418 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 3: like it on the battlefield against a massive country, because 419 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 3: they're fighting for a cause. They've been trained to fight 420 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 3: for a cause. Give you the give you this statistic 421 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 3: that's just astounding that the Ministry of Defense in London 422 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:00,199 Speaker 3: has been putting them out right now, the Russians are 423 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 3: now averaging twenty five thousand dead a month. Now, put 424 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 3: that in perspective, we lost fifty thousand Americans in Vietnam 425 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 3: in ten years, in ten years, the Russians, Russians are 426 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 3: losing that many dead in two months. 427 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,359 Speaker 1: I'm trying to put that into like that's one man 428 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 1: with children, with a wife with parents, Like that is insane. 429 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, So this goes to another issue and one of 430 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 3: the reasons I think we should be supporting the Ukrainians 431 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:44,320 Speaker 3: certainly in terms of what the West stands for. But 432 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 3: there are three nations on this planet and I'm not 433 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 3: going to get into North Korea, that would be three 434 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 3: and a half. But there are three nations on this 435 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:57,880 Speaker 3: planet who want to replace the Western order. They've said it, 436 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 3: they say it over and over again. My ear used 437 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 3: to say, if someone tells you over and over again, 438 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 3: he wants to kill you believing. And that's Moscow, who 439 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 3: have Russia, Iran and China, China being the center of this. 440 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,919 Speaker 3: And if you can take two of those chess pieces 441 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 3: off of the board, and this is vital for the Pacific, 442 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 3: then the avenues of mischief that the Chinese can go 443 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 3: down a lot. They're a lot smaller, yes, and you know, 444 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 3: China is surrounded by nations with a thousand year memories 445 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 3: of imperial aggression, very capable countries. And by the way, 446 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 3: I do think we should give the Australian Navy the 447 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 3: nuclear submarines. We don't have the people to man. I 448 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 3: think that would be absolutely vital for the calculus and 449 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 3: the Pacific. I don't know. I mean, I've had these 450 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 3: conversations with former Prime ministers of Australia, certainly not the 451 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 3: current one, but I think to cement that alliance in 452 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 3: the in that part of the Pacific with a country 453 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 3: that is really our countries are mirror images. We are 454 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 3: people who conquered the continent, despite what the woke will say, 455 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 3: overcame incredible odds and have established these well, I mean 456 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 3: they're very they're no. I can't think of too many 457 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 3: nations with more robust democracies. We've had our hiccups, we're 458 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 3: having them in some places now, but I think it's 459 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 3: I think we should we should do. 460 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 2: That, absolutely agree. 461 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, Secretary, before I let you go, what what is 462 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 1: your I mean prediction is a it's not it's not 463 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 1: a great word. But looking ahead, let's say you're back 464 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: on this show in two years time, and I say 465 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 1: to you. 466 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 2: Well, what's happening? You know, what does it curred? 467 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: How do you see things that we're playing out in 468 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,440 Speaker 1: real time now having played out? 469 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 3: I do think the Iranian regime will be gone. I 470 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 3: do think there will be some form of a the 471 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 3: militarized zone in Ukraine. But that only happens if the 472 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 3: United States puts into our law security guarantees for the 473 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 3: Ukrainian people. And I mean by that going to the 474 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 3: United States Senate, having the Senate ratify those conditions as 475 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 3: a treaty, which only the United States Senate can do, 476 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 3: so that it is in force, just as the North 477 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 3: Atlantic Treaty is. I hope. This is a hope. I'm 478 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 3: not going to predict it. I certainly don't have any 479 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 3: I don't have any worries about the countries of Eastern Europe. 480 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 3: I don't have any worries now about Japan or or 481 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 3: South Korea. I certainly hope that the countries of Western 482 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 3: Europe wake up, Canada wakes up. I hope that Australia 483 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:31,360 Speaker 3: will go down the path of revitalizing its armed forces 484 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 3: so that we don't have to come to the table 485 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 3: and look, I've made critiques about our armed forces, but 486 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:41,560 Speaker 3: Australia's got more admirals than it has boats and and 487 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 3: and that has to stop. 488 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 2: That's problematic. And I'm an expert, so that sounds. 489 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 3: Problem than you actually have vessels. And the same with India. 490 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 3: I think the president, the President's outreached India is vital. 491 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 3: Uh they are, they believe they will surpass China. They've 492 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 3: already surpassed them in terms of population. Keeping India in 493 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 3: the Western Alliance is vital keeping India. 494 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 1: On that secretary, we saw the images of Mody cozying 495 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: up with Hijinping and Prutin and the like that that 496 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 1: should be almost more terrifying than any other image. Should 497 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: that We do not want India to join their side, right, and. 498 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 3: I don't think they will. I think India was just 499 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 3: trying to say, hey, look at us. Yeah, yeah, I 500 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 3: mean now, it's it's more ridiculous for the Prime Minister 501 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 3: of Canada pull that stunt, God or the Prime minister 502 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 3: of the United Kingdom, you know, longer significant And just 503 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 3: give you an example. When I was born, Canada had 504 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 3: the fourth largest army in NATO. Today the Canadian Armies, 505 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 3: about the size of the Alabama National Guard, which is 506 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 3: our thirtieth largest state. They've abrogated their duties to defend 507 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 3: the Arctic. Those are the kinds of things that need 508 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 3: to change, But we have a lot of work to 509 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 3: do on our side. 510 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:16,120 Speaker 1: Final little point that I mentioned earlier, the four percent, 511 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 1: how is that? How quickly has that changed when it 512 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: comes to the makeup of the American defense force? 513 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:23,880 Speaker 2: And is that because of. 514 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: The technology that you are many more roles now and 515 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 1: not on the ground. 516 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 3: You know, your Australian's officers in Vietnam were the first 517 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 3: ones to say to their American counterparts that you all 518 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 3: came up with something called the tooth to tail ratio. 519 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 3: So here's the tooth and here's the tail. In Vietnam, 520 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:56,000 Speaker 3: for every tooth, there were seventeen people supporting the one guy. 521 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 3: And we still have too large logistical train. I don't 522 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 3: know what the numbers are now, but it's still too large. 523 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:09,800 Speaker 3: But look again, the nature of the fights has changed 524 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:14,759 Speaker 3: a lot. And and and you know, we're not going 525 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:18,200 Speaker 3: to see what we saw in World War Two. I mean, 526 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:25,839 Speaker 3: we had sixteen million soldiers under arms in in in 527 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:32,399 Speaker 3: World War two. Most of those, I would say sev 528 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 3: were ground combat, sixty infantry, artillery, armor, but then we 529 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 3: had the air force. In the Navy. Warfare is different. 530 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,360 Speaker 3: It is more technical, but it doesn't negate the lessons 531 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,440 Speaker 3: of the past. You still need, for instance, in the Pacific, 532 00:34:56,120 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 3: you still need a robust United States Marine Corps to 533 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:05,560 Speaker 3: engage in forced entry from the sea. And you're only 534 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 3: going to do that if you've got this marine infantry 535 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 3: that's ready and vital. But there has to be a balance. 536 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: Secretary, thank you so so much for your expertise, your time, 537 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:19,320 Speaker 1: your brilliance. We're so grateful, and thank you again for 538 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 1: your service and your father's He sounded like an incredible man. 539 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 3: It is my pleasure. And I don't know what people 540 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 3: think of your new national anthem, but I do like 541 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:33,959 Speaker 3: the titles who Advance Australia Fair. 542 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 2: I love. Thank you so much. Thank you. Take care, 543 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 2: ladies and gentlemen. 544 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:43,960 Speaker 1: I am traveling at the moment over the next few days, 545 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 1: so I will still bring you bits and pieces not 546 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:49,520 Speaker 1: from studio though. I'm going to be in Miami doing 547 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,480 Speaker 1: a Whitso Florida event, so if you haven't got a ticket, 548 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 1: make sure, you go in and grab one. I'm not 549 00:35:54,560 --> 00:35:56,399 Speaker 1: sure if there are any left, but if there are, 550 00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 1: come and see me talk. It's a very real, vulnerable 551 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: and entertaining experience. Despite the subject matter, we definitely have 552 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: a laugh. And then I'm going to be at the 553 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 1: Liberty Financial Forum, which is the company that Alex Whitcoff, 554 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:14,000 Speaker 1: his brother, the Trump brothers have started together and they're 555 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: hosting a big conference with a lot of the who's who. 556 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 1: The guest list is insane and I'll get to have 557 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 1: conversations and bring them to you with a lot of 558 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 1: the people there as well. 559 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:24,840 Speaker 2: So looking forward to it. Love you all, stay tuned 560 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:25,440 Speaker 2: to this channel. 561 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:27,919 Speaker 1: You know where you will get your breaking news, your analysis, 562 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:30,360 Speaker 1: and your fearless commentary. 563 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 2: As they say, love you all, We'll see you soon. Bye.